Dying is Easy Coming Back? Not So Much
by emeralgreenlove
Summary: Everyone thinks Max is dead-they think she went down in a fight, so they left. Max wakes up to find herself in the School and is there for two years before she can come back, but she isn't alone. She has a daughter and new friends. The Whitecoats made her pregnant by insemination and she'd like to find out who the man who impregnated her with her baby. Fax.
1. Prologue

**Dying is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much**

**Chapter One**

**A/N: Hey this is my new story hope you like it enough to review :)**

**Disclaimer: I'm only going to say this once, so listen closely- I do not own Maximum Ride or any of it's characters, however I do own this plot due to my lovely friend ****Fanfiction to the Max ****whom I got the plot from. Thanks ****Fanfiction to the Max!**** This is for you. Hope you're reading!**

**Now on to the story! Enjoy!**

"Guys," I shout, "I think we can stop now."

Michael stopped running and the other two followed my lead as I soared down.

I scanned the area. It was mostly trees. Nonstopping woods everywhere you looked at, but I already knew that since I'd been flying on top of it and had had a birds' eye view of the place. Arabella moved. I looked down at her in my arms and smiled tiredly. My daughter followed my example and smiles too. Michael walks over to us, panting a little. When Arabella sees him, she giglgles and my smile gets bigger. I love my daughter's laugh. Michael leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Hey, baby," he said.

Brianna, Ryan and Allysun arrive a minute after Arabella and me (because of my super speed).

"So what are we going to do now?" Michael asks once we're all together.

"We'll camp out here," I said. "Is going to be dark out soon. I'm sure all of us are tired, sleepy and hungry, especially the babies. Right now we need to make a system. While two of the people sleep, the other two keep watch. We have enough food but we don't have enough blankets, at least not ones that'll do any good, so Brianna and I are going to use the blankets for Allysun and Arabella so they don't get sick. We'll need to sleep on the ground, okay? Are we good?"

They all nodded.

We ate and fed the girls. Soon, Michael and Brianna were sleeping on the ground besides me. We had agreed on Ryan and me getting first watch. So that's what I was doing now.

I looked down at the sleeping Arabella in my arms. She deserves to be raised like a normal child. Even though, she has wings and and probably will never really be 'normal'. But at least she doesn't have to be poked with needles daily now. I hope it stays that way ...

I let my mind wander somewhere else. Somewhere painful to think about. My past and my Flock.

A lot of things can happen over the course of two years. My last two years had been filled with physical and emotional pain. In my arms I now held a four month old that was the product of some of that physical pain. The last two years have been a nightmare-except for my baby, that is. She has been the only good thing about this experience. Her and my friends.

But what about the Flock? What have _they _done in the last two years? Had they searched for me when I was caught? I'd always had hope. I thought that they would have been the ones that rescued me. Had they gotten caught too? If I had been caught, why not them? How had they dealed with me getting caught? Now, it was a three member flock, unless Fang had come back to the Flock, which I highly doubted. I kept wondering and wondering.

I thought a lot of things that I had thought about in the past, but just kept bugging me. If Angel had been alive she probably would have been around nine years old. My baby girl ...

Something interrupted my thoughts.

Ryan pointed at his watch. It was alredy time for us to sleep. Wow, time went faster than I thought.

I laid down on the soft grass, putting Arabella in the spot beside mine. When Brianna and Michael took watch, I headed happily into dreamland.

**A/N: I know this is kind of short, but the other chapters will probably be longer. This is kind of like an introduction or a prologue. Hope you liked it!**

**Review!**

**XOXO,**

**emeralgreenlove**


	2. Talking to Michael

**Dying is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much**

**Chapter Two- Talking to Michael**

**A/N: Hey! How's everyone doing? Well, here's chapter 2! **

**An important note before you start reading: Max did NOT have sex, just so nobody's confused. It will be explained later.**

**Read on and review !**

**:)**

I woke up to Arabella's crying. I picked her up and glanced at the sky. It was cloudy but in a misty, it'll-be-replaced-by-colors-as-time-goes-by way. Unlike the day I lost my twin boys, a rainy day. But I didn't want to think about that right now. I glanced around my friends. Ryan was tossing and turning in his sleep. Brianna and Michael were whispering back and forth.

I checked Arabellas's diaper. Not heavy enough to be changed.

It must have been like four or five hours since I last fed her. Shoot. She must be hungry.

"Mommy's sorry, Arabella. I should have remembered to feed you sooner, baby," I whispered to her. She opened her little mouth in a little "O" and let out a yawn. Arabella blinked and patted my face before starting to cry again. I kissed the top of her head before standing up and walking over to Michael and Brianna.

I noticed that Allysun was starting to cry too.

"Hey, guys," I said.

They looked up at me.

"Arabella's hungry, so I'm going to be a little outside of the clearing."

Michael nodded.

I turned on my heel, but before I could start walking away, Brianna said," Do you think you could take over my post once you come back for a while? 'Cause I need to feed Allysun too."

"Sure," I said without turning and walked a few feet away.

This was going to be a little uncomfortable for both Arabella and me. I was used to feeding her in a more comfortable environment and with a pillow beneath my daughter's head. But I was Maximum Ride, I could handle 'uncomfortable'.

I glanced around, like I mentioned before, there were a lot of trees. Trees behind of me, in front of me, to my left, to my right. It's a good thing because it concealed Arabella and me, giving us privacy. But it's also a bad thing since any enemy can sneak up on us.

I sigh.

I slid down the tree that was behind me. I pushed my shirt and bra up and slid what had been hidden into Arabella's awaiting mouth. I shook my head. Right now I was so grateful those cheap whitecoats made me and Brianna breastfeed our daughters, because they would have probably starved due to our lack of baby food.

Around fifteen minutes went by. I had my eyes closed, dazing off a little when I heard something in a few feet in front of me snap. I tensed up, ready for a fight if that's what it came to.

My eyes opened wide to meet ...

Michael's.

I let out the air I'd been holding. I quickly realized that Michael was watching me breastfeed Arabella. I blushed and reached out for the leather jacket that was keeping my legs warm. I draped the jacket over Arabella and me.

Michael didn't say anything and just sat down next to me.

Gosh, he was so much like Fang it was painful. He didn't speak much, kept his thoughts and emotions to himself and never made much noise. But, like Fang, he had a soft, sweet and caring side, especially when it came down to Allysun and Arabella, whom he loves to pieces.

_Fang_.

He and the Flock are always present on my mind. It was hard not to think about my family and Fang, especially when his name was written on red on my black leather jacket. Well, mine _now_; it had been _his _originally, though.

"Why are you always thinking about that guy? The one you said was your best friend. And how come you get so embarrassed when you see me watch you breastfeed? Brianna doesn't mind it. I'm not going to do anything to you, you know. I'm not that bad, am I?**"**

I know what you're thinking: He's a mind reader too! Well, not exactly. He just was watching me stare at the name in my jacket, and hey, he'd known me for a while now. I thought about what to say.

"Don't take it personally, Mike. Brianna doesn't mind you watching her because you grew up with her and her brother. I bet that you've probably seen her naked at one point or another. You're family. Me is a whole 'nother ball game ... About Fang ... well, it's just that you're both so much alike. You're both silent, but sweet and you just don't have any idea how much he means to me."

"Try me."

I looked at him in the eye and said, "Well, he was my first love and the only one I've ever had. I told you about my Flock. My family. It was like we were the parents. Him and I. I was the leader of the Flock, but without him, we didn't function as well as we would with him."

An unexpected tear slid down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly.

I heard baby sounds. I'd almost forgotten that Arabella was there with me. I peeked beneath the jacket. Arabella was done eating. I pulled my shirt back down and took the jacket off of us. Arabella was making noises and being a bouncy baby.

"May I?" Michael said, stretching his arms and reaching for her.

I handed her to him and he sat her in his lap. I hugged my knees to me, jacket still over them. The jacket still smell a little like Fang. I breathed it in. Eyes closed.

"Max?"

"Yes?"

I opened my eyes and turned to look at Michael. His face was only inches away from mine.

I don't know what came over me but I leaned in to kiss him, he started leaning in too. Our lips were almost touching when I snapped out of it. I moved my head away. I glanced at him from under my lashes. His face had an expressionless mask on, but I saw hurt in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Michael." I stood up. "But I don't think I'm ready for this. I mean, we just got out of the School and everything. I haven't had a boyfriend since I was fifteen. And now I can't act like I'm still that age. I'm sorry, but right now, I have a daughter that depends on me and I can't ignore the fact that I'm a single mother."

Michael stood up, too.

"Max, what if I'm your daughter's daddy? Have you thought of that? And what about you? Just because you're a mom now doesn't mean you can't date or have a boyfriend or anything. It just means that you can't put all your energy into a relationship. You have to learn to balance things. Being a mom, a leader and a woman all at the same time."

"You don't understand, Mike. I've failed more than once at being a parent. My little angel's dead. She was my baby and I shouldn't have let her go. If I would have stopped her, she would still be alive. There would still be an Angel to control some freak's mind. And what about my first pregnancy? They-they..."

I felt like Nudge talking so much. I'd finally had enough and let the tears fall. And soon the sobs were racking my body. I can't believe I went so far as to crack.

I felt an arm wrap around my waist and pull me towards him. I let my head fall on his chest.

"It's going to be okay, Maximum. From the time I've known you, I've seen that you're not only beautiful but the strongest person I know. You'll get through this, I promise. It's going to be okay. If you need someone to help you, you know, I'll be always here for you and Ari. Come on. Ari's falling asleep and you need sleep."

I let him lead me and Arabella back to camp. The sky was now pink. I laid on the ground and instantly fell asleep.

**Ari's one of Arabella's nicknames. I just noticed that Arabella has both "Ar" for "Ari" and "Ella." Cool huh? I randomly selected this name and it still connects to the story and it's something I feel like Max would name her daughter. After both of her half siblings :).**

**I've noticed that this story has had more than 100 hits but only 4 reviews (which I'm very grateful for). My goal is to have 8-10 reviews for this chapter. If you want me to update soon, review!**

**Max and her new flock will probably meet the old Flock in the next chapter or the one after, if you want FAX, it depends on how fast you review and I can update.**

**One more thing, please check out my other story: Making Memories. You can find it in my profile. Go read it!**

**Review!**

**XOXO,**

**emeralgreenlove**


	3. Getting Ready to See Fang

**Dying is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much.**

**Chapter Three: Getting Ready to See Fang**

**Important Notice: When "Ari" is mentioned it means "Arabella." Also, this is sort of like a filler but the good news is that I'll be able to write the other chapter pretty fast :) Thank you to those of you who reviewed ;)**

I woke up with the sunlight in my face. I covered my eyes with the sleeve of my black jacket but sat up anyways. I glanced at the watch that was in Ryan's hand. It was seven fifty. I took my arm off my eyes and glanced around for my Arabella.

My eyes fell on Michael walking back and forth with something in his arms. Probably Arabella.

I thought about what we had talked about yesterday- well, a few hours ago really. It would be awesome if Michael was Arabella's daddy since they have already bonded so much. And they were so attached to each other already. But as much as I loved Michael, my love for him would be like the love I had for Iggy. Like a brother. I'd known that he had liked me for a while now. I could see the desire when he stared at me. I'd been enough around boys to be able to translate what it meant. But if Mike turned out to be Ari's dad, it would also be kind of awkward. Do you know what that would be like? When Arabella would be older she would ask why her parents didn't love each other like other kids' parents did.

I shook my head. This shouldn't be what I was thinking when I woke up.

On the other hand, I didn't want to find out who Arabella's dad was. I mean, what if he was a total asshole? What if her dad was Dylan? I know I went out with him and kissed him and everything, but that doesn't mean that I wanted him to be my baby daddy. But it still was a possibility since Dr. God had wanted me to mate with him.

When I'd asked the whitecoats about Arabella's dad, what they said was that all they knew and could tell me was that he was an experiment like me. That could mean anything. I mean, it could be anyone I knew or _didn't _know. From all they told me, it could even be Gazzy, which to tell you the truth, isn't very nice to think. It could be anyone meaning anyone that was a male and was and experiment. He possibly had wings like me.

I finally stood up, a little dizzy but up.

I nudged Ryan with my foot, he moved but didn't even open his eyes. I quickly thought of a threat to use on him.

"Ryan, I'm going to put my foot on your face if you don't wake up in the next second."

Ryan still didn't opened his eyes but sat up and then stood up. When he opened his eyes, he glared at me.

That's what you get, I thought.

He walked away toward his twin sister.

I did a 360 checking out everything from the sky to the trees. I heard Arabella's crying. She must know I'm awake. She's a smart baby. Sometimes I wish that even if I was a teen mom that I had someone whom I loved help me. Like if I knew who her dad was, maybe we could share the responsibility of parenting. But, _no _the whitecoats are evil and had to make me a single mom. I love my baby but sometimes I just wish I'd had her in a different time, a different place, maybe even in a different life.

I walked over and took her from Michael's arms.

I shared my plan with the others and got ready to leave this behind and meet my family for the first time in two years.

When we had left the School we had grabbed some files on really anything we could find. We got our hands on a lot of papers and even a computer. Since there was cash in the School we took most of it, too.

We stopped at a coffee shop. I took the laptop out while the others ordered whatever they wanted. I looked around for a while until I found Fang's blog. I didn't waste any time reading anything he had posted 'cause what really mattered right now was the location he was sending all this posts from, which I tracked down. A little before I was taken to the school, Nudge had shown me how to track down people.

Right now, it said that Fang was in Arizona. I took out the papers we had acquired. Some of the files had old pictures of us. Like one file was of baby Angel and another file had a picture of Fang, Iggy and me when we were like eleven. I checked and rechecked the files but none of them told me the location the members of my Flock were. I wrote down the location in Arizona, we were maybe a couple of hours from there. We would probably be able to make it by nightfall.

I wondered what had happened to my mother, half sister and Jeb. But only for a brief second.

I put my game face on and hoped with all I had to hope that Fang was still were he had sent the last posts and that he knew where to find the younger kids.

We were now an hour or two away from where Fang had sent posts for his blog.

I don't know why we were stopping but Brianna had wanted to so we were.

I'd told my friends what was going on. They hadn't liked the idea at first (when I say "they" I mean the boys) but I'd convinced them. They knew what it was like to loose family so I'd had to convince them.

When the others came down, I asked Brianna, "Why are we stopping here?"

Brianna smiled. "You said we were going to meet that cute guy you showed us the picture of. I'm not going to let you go to his house like this. You look like a hobo and trust me, if that boy is still as cute as when he was fifteen, the quick make over I'll give you, will be worth it."

I'd shown her the picture of Fang and I at Total and Akila's wedding. She had been totally in love with the dress I'd worn and had asked so many questions about "the cute guy that had been my boyfriend."

"Brianna, tell me you're not serious. Please. I mean, I grew up with Fang, he knows me, or at least used to. Why do I have to get a make over to go see him?"

"Because you're with me right now and none of us is going to appear in front of that man's house like we are right now."

I tried to argue with her, but she's Brianna and she wouldn't let it go. Michael tried to help me out saying that I was already pretty enough and that I didn't need anything. At the end, we ended up going to the nearest Wal-Mart.

The woman at the register had looked at us like we were aliens.

We all got new clothes and Brianna bought a kit of make up.

I bought (well, Brianna _made_ me buy) a tank top and super short jeans that barely covered anything (thank goodness I could find some black tights to go underneath) and a bunch of hair pins. Brianna got more or less the same, adding a jeans jacket. The guys had bought baggy jeans and black T-shirts. For Arabella we got a blue jeans colored dress and for Allysun, a light pink shirt and jeans.

Once I was done putting on my new clothes I threw out the clothes we'd had before. The outfit consisted of white pants and a long-sleeved matching white shirt. We had looked like those alien kids from the movie _Race To Witch Mountain_. My tank top was purple and my short shorts were dark blue.

Brianna had also bought a hair brush so I undid all the tangles in my hair then dressed Arabella up in her dress. She looked gorgeous. Even though I had been a tomboy my whole life I got to admit, we both looked good. It had been better than before. My face was now dirt-free, my hair was untangled and Brianna was now putting on makeup on my face. I know, ugh.

I had mascara on and purple eyeliner, plus smoky purple eye shadow. My lips had purple lipgloss. My cheeks were a little bit rosier than before but that was all. At least she didn't go completely overboard with it like I thought she would. She reminded me of Nudge, my little fusionist.

Finally I was completely ready to go see Fang now. Finally.

**I got my goal of 8 reviews, thanks to those of you reviewed. You're awesome. I got the other chapter ready to go as soon as I get 10 reviews. Review and tell me what you think :D**

**XOXO,**

**emeralgreenlove**


	4. Reunion

**Dying is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much.**

**Chapter Four: Reunion**

**Wow! You guys are pretty awesome ;) I got not only 10 reviews, but 11! Awesome :)) I wanted to let you guys know that I appreciate your reviews but I would like it if you said more than "Update" and "Awesome" and would say more things about my story. Please understand that I want to know what you guys REALLY think about my stories, so that I can see what I have to get better at and what's good and what YOU like. Please do that for me :).**

**I won't keep you any longer. Here's what we've all been waiting for. The reunion.**

We took a train and a bus until we were near the location where Fang's blog was updated. We flew the rest of the way. We were behind Fang's (?) house in the woods when I heard talking and laughing. My senses told me to fly down and check it out.

When we were a feet away from the noise, I said to my friends, "Listen, I'm going to check out what this is about. You are going to stay here and make yourselves practically invisible unless I tell you to come out. Got it?"

I glanced down at my sleeping daughter, whom was waking up. I kissed her forehead and handed her to Michael. I gave a last glance to my friends. Brianna mouthed "Good luck" I nodded.

"Under any circumstances, you stay here. No matter what."

I picked my way carefully toward the sound. I know what you're thinking. You're crazy for going out into who knows what knowing it could be a trap without reinforcements. Whatever, I'm the leader. I don't need to put anyone else's life in danger aside from my own. Especially with the kids. I refuse to endanger their lives.

I try listening what the people were saying but I was too full of excitement to really be able to concentrate in words.

I saw a bunch of wings and bodies that had their backs turned to me. They're in a small clearing.

I recognized a few pairs of the wings. White, brown, black ...

Tears leak out of my eyes.

I walked over to them. They stopped talking and laughing and turned to face me in one swift motion. They tensed up like I remember showing them to.

_It's them_, I think. _It's really them_.

Fang's the first one to come forward and before I know it, he had my hands behind my back. What is this?

"Fang! Fang, let me go! It's me, Max! Let me go!" I shout, angry. I try to loosen his hold, but he just his hold on me tighter.

"Yeah," he replied, anger and bitterness in his voice. "That's what a clone would say. You're not Max, you're just a clone. They're testing our boundaries, it's not going to work. It's not. So, I suggest you prepare yourself to _die_." I'd known Fang long enough to detect what no one else would: the sadness intertwined in his voice. But threatening me with death? That was not under any circumstances okay.

"Fang, listen," I said as calmly as I could.

"I'm not going to listen you ... you bitch."

I gasped. Fang had never been such a jerk in his entire life. What had time done to him? What happened to my Fang?

I heard another voice like my own. Fang moved his head and body (moving my body along with his) to see ... me. In a short summer dress.

"Fang," the other me said. Maya? Another clone? "Do not be such an asshole to her. I'm a clone and I certainly hate it when people treat me badly just because I'm the clone of a person who's dead ..." her voice softened at the end of the sentence, then continued in the strong voice that I often use. "Listen her out, Fang. Please. For Max's sake." So now I'm dead? This angered me. They think I'm a friggin' clone from a dead Max. Great. Just great.

"Asshole, I'm not dead. I'm standing right here." I noticed that a grown Dylan was clutching tightly my clone's hand. "Remember when we were fourteen and my half brother, Ari, beat you up? Remember the beach? In there, in front of Nudge, Iggy and Gazzy, I kissed you because I thought you were going to die. After you recovered, you teased me about it.

"Another time I tried taking that friggin' chip out of my arm with a rock, I remember you were crazy worried. Then we asked my mom, Valencia Martinez, to take the chip out of my arm. She put me on Valium. During the operation, you held onto my hand and I said what I thought was the most embarrassing thing. Remember? I said, 'I love you, Fang'.

"When we were rescuing my mom from the evil hands of Mr. Chu, you ignored the request for dinning with red-haired Bridgid Dwyer to go on a dinner date with me. And if you don't believe me, I'll recite to you something that you gave me." I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. I'd read that poem he dedicated me thousands of times.

"It's called 'For Her' by Anthony Descas. 'As I walked into your life and hopefully your heart.../I realized our relationship will never drift apart…/As I ran my fingers through your hair… /I'm dazzled…happy…not in despair…/Your heart is like a flame, burning with desire,/I light these candles and realize my love for you uplifts higher…/One day you will own a throne…' in this part you added in parenthesis, 'For real, you'll end up in a throne someday, Max. That's a promise.' The poem ends up saying 'Any will do…you're my princess, my baby…I love you.' "

I shut my mouth and let it all sink in.

"Fang, check what this jacket says in the back and check the pocket that's inside. It has something that's important for me. In case any of you still has doubts ... peanut butter and jelly marry inside a bread house. They have two children and name them ..."

"Peanutly Jell and Jelly Pean," an eleven year old Gazzy and Iggy replied together.

"Exactly," I say.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Dylan asks, puzzled.

The day that I got kidnapped and replaced with my clone we came up with this "puzzle" that only one of us can solve. It was supposed to be the other way around though. They asked me the puzzle and I was supposed to answer them. But I didn't tell that to Dylan.

I felt Fang searching my inside pocket, his hands warm. I saw that he was struggling to keep his hands on me and search inside the leather jacket.

He started pulling at worn out pieces of paper.

"Watch it, Fang! I said it was important. I don't want you to rip it up."

One of the couple of papers were those of the day Total and Akila got married, our "break up." The others were some things I'd printed from the "Fang Stuff" folder before I'd deleted it on our old laptop. The Max Cons/Pros list, the fan questions, the poem ... everything that he'd have in that folder. Finally he got to a few pictures. My whole family in Total and Akila's wedding, me, Ella and my mom, one with my Angel and Total, a few other ones with my Flock, a bunch of me and Fang. Fang and I holding hands from behind, kissing and one were we were looking into each other's eyes. My favorite one. That one had the poem written in it's back.

_For Her  
>By Anthony Descas<br>As I walked into your life and hopefully your heart…  
>I realized our relationship will never drift apart…<br>As I ran my fingers through your hair…  
>I'm dazzled…happy…not in despair…<br>Your heart is like a flame, burning with desire,  
>I light these candles and realize my love for you uplifts higher…<br>One day you will own a throne…  
>Any will do…you're my princess, my baby…I love you.<br>_  
>I'd added other things too, which he read aloud. At the end of the poem I'd written, '<strong>Fang, my dark prince, I'll probably never be able to tell you this face to face, but, I love you with all my heart'. <strong>Fang's voice soften. But only a little bit.** 'There's not one day that goes by that I don't think about you and/or the Flock. I hope y'all know this: I do not regret coming here, to the School. I'd do anything for you, and if coming to the School prevents you from going through the daily pain I go through, I'm willing to make that sacrifice. I'll miss you forever. I hope that I see you again before I die, no matter if I'm 80. This will probably never get to your hands but it makes my mind and heart feel a little bit more peaceful. Love, your Maximum Ride. **There was a heart at the end, which if you know me well, you know it's not like me. But I'd been depressed so you can't really blame me.

Fang's hold on me softened until he completely let me go. But only to tackle me in a hug.

**Emeralgreenlove**_**: So what do guys think? If you're confused by anything, review or PM me about it, okay? Please read the top Author's Note if you haven't already, it's important review-wise. Aren't you wishing you could have wacked Fang in the head when he was rude to Max? I know I wish I could have :P You might be asking yourself why Max didn't have any pictures of her daughter, but that'll be answered next chapter.**_

_**I want 10-12 reviews for this chapter. I start school tomorrow so I don't know when I'm going to be update, but I'll try to fast for you guys. You're THAT awesome ;]**_

_**Review!**_

_**XOXO,**_

_**emeralgreenlove **_


	5. Chapter 5 Introductions

**Dying is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much.**

**Chapter Five: Introductions**

**Heyyy! EGL here with the latest chapter of Dying is Easy Coming Back? Not So Much. I can't wait to write this chapter as much as you wish to read it, so let's get on with the story! (Just wanted to let you know that this is NOT Nazzy. That is way too weird *shudders*). **

Last on Dying is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much:

_Fang's hold on me softened until he completely let me go. But only to tackle me in a hug._

The hug turned into a real tackle. I laughed softly. A hug that ended me with me in the floor with Fang on top of me.

Fang kissed my cheek and got off of me. He stretched his arm out for me to take. I took his hand and helped me to my feet. I hugged Fang to me.

"Max," he whispered, "you're alive. You're alive and ... and you're here."

"I'm here. I'm here. I'm never, ever leaving. Ever."

He buried his face in my hair. I felt his lips in my hair and tears leak out of both of our eyes. His quiet crying turned into soft sobs, rocking both of our bodies.

I finally glanced up from his face at the rest of the Flock. I disentangled my arms from Fang, and with a glance toward my clone's and Dylan's way, made my way past them and toward my kids.

Nudge was the first to come forward and hug me, breaking down in my arms, like Fang, she sobbed and cried into my chest. I comforted her, burying her into me and stroking her hair, hoping to never ever have to depart from her. Apparently, I discovered a few minutes after, that I couldn't have her attach at the hip.

I kept an arm at her waist and made my way over to Iggy.

I let go of Nudge and pulled Iggy to me. Well, it kind of went the other way since Iggy's way taller and bulkier. Even thought I would never admit it, I'd missed my lil' sexist pigs.

"Hey, Ig, are you still the same ol' person? Great cook, worst role model any kid could ever look up to?" I smiled, my tears stopped for a minute, only to start over. Only this time, not with as much emotion as before.

He laughed. "Yeah, I guess so."

I looked around for Gazzy. He was next to Nudge, but there was something odd about his posture. I knew him well enough to detect it. Him and Nudge were close together but not in a usual brother-sister way there was something fishy about that.

A figure poked it's head around Gazzy's shoulder. It looked familiar. Blonde curls, blue-eyed, a pretty face and a heck of a mind-reader.

Angel.

Angel was staring at me, wide eyes curious and wide.

This couldn't be _my _Angel. No way. She was dead. She was friggin' dead! Unless this was a really nice, vivid dream that I would eventually I wake from. A tinklingsoft laugh was heard inside my head. Hm.

The figure moved, revealing it's whole body.

The girl had a blue shirt and a blue and black - stripped skirt with black tights underneath.

Ha.

The girl stepped in front of me, smiling sweetly.

"Max, stop referring as me as 'the girl'.My name's Angel, but you already know that." She hugged me-well, more like my bottom half or so. I was so shocked that I didn't move or speak. She frowned. "Max. Please. I know you, I've heard your thoughts. This isn't a dream. If it was, then all of us would be dreaming, which would be pretty freaky."

_How?_ I thought (because I couldn't move). _How are you alive, baby? _

_The people from the Doomsday Group got a hold on me, she_ said. _Fang saved me months after they'd captured me in Paris. When I woke up, I woke up to a saved world._

I finally was able to move. I looked at Fang, my arched eye brows up questioningly. His face nor eyes gave away anything. The corners of his mouth looked like he was holding tightly to a smile. I was still shocked, still clueless as to what to say and do.

I glanced back at Angel's bright blue eyes. Then looked at her brother. He was trying to be strong, like he always had been, but seemed like he wanted to burst out crying at the moment. I picked up Angel in my arms. She wasn't as heavy as a regular nine year old, but she definitely didn't wait as much as when she was a six or seven year old.

I kissed her forehead. Her eyes were closed off. A tear leaked out of her eye. I kissed her closed off lids and kissed the tear that had escaped.

Angel buried her face in my neck and held on tight.

I walked over to Gazzy and hugged him. The tears I'd held onto tightly started making their way down my face again. I guess Brianna isn't going to be too happy with me ruining my pretty make up. Gazzy leaned into my touch, enjoying the fact that I was back, I guess. I moved Angel to my right hip, so that the Gasman could shove his face into my stomach and I could still hug him to me.

I felt wetness drip through my tank top. Tears.

Suddenly I remembered something important. I put my mind block up, remembering that Angel was a mind-reader. My child and Michael and Brianna and Allysun and Ryan, they all seemed so far away. Like from millions of years away. Here I was enjoying a family reunion and I'd forgotten about them. I instantly felt guilty. How could a mother forget her own child? Even for a brief period of time?

I yelled at the top of my lungs, "Bri Bri, Michael, Ryan! You can come out now. It's safe! It's them!"

There was nothing at first. I waited and waited. I received weird looks from some of the people in the Flock and some from those who weren't, if you get were I'm going. Go ahead, look at me weirdly all you want, but I'm not crazy.

_Max, don't worry about them. I know all I need to know. I know you're the greatest role model anyone could ever ask for. _I looked down at her still down head and smiled, even though she didn't see it. _I know you're the best at everything there is to be best at, except being a girl and being nice, that is. _I laughed quietly, a breath that barely made it's way out of my lips. _I know you're my sister, my friend and my mom ... _Angel took a big breath and cried a little harder. I knew I was a mom to my fellow Flock members (even to Fang, who would never admit it) but I'd never had once heard it from anyone, even though my darling Angel had implored it several times. It was a nice thing to hear, which made my smile get a little bit bigger. ..._Max you don't know how much I've missed you. So _so _much. Maya may look like you, but she's not _you. _She's nice and everything, well except when she's thinking about Dylan, that's just disturbing, but she doesn't act like you. She has nice manners and isn't as sarcastic or funny as you. And you know what she and Nudge did to me? They made me wear this and they're trying to turn me into a girly girl! _I laughed out loud at this one. She was turning out just like me in this subject

Everyone looked at us again. Nudge, Gazzy and Iggy smiling slightly, each of them showing their own levels of enthusiasm. Fang gave me a half smile. My clone and Dylan kept their faces expressionless. My clone put her head in Dylan's shoulder. He looked happy. Huh. Guess he was just in love with my face. Good.

"Brianna! Michael! Ryan! Get your butts out here!" I shouted again.

They finally showed up. The first one was Ryan. Then Brianna came out, sort of half hiding behind her taller twin brother, completely hiding Allysun from view. Finally, Michael came out with an unhappy expression, a small bundle on his arms. They hesitantly walked forward.

"Everyone: this are my friends. The girl is Brianna." I pointed at Brianna, a tanned-skinned girl with brown, half curly, half straight hair and bright green eyes. "The boy that looks like Brianna is her twin brother, Ryan." Ryan a small nod at the Flock and others. "Brianna's baby girl is named Allysun." As if on cue, Allysun started crying. Brianna pulled her to her chest and started rocking her back and forth, until she stopped crying. Brianna looked up to see that all this "strangers" were looking at her. She blushed and looked down. Ryan looked at his sister and moved in front of her, making her "invisible." I glanced at my own daughter, awake, wide-eyed, curious and making gurgling noises. "The other boy is Michael. The baby he has is Arabella." I pointed at Michael and Arabella. Michael is pale, blue eyed and dark-haired. Ari's skin tone is a little bit darker than mine (just by a little bit), she has my (or my Mom's, really) brown eyes with gold flecks (if you look close enough) and has my blonde-ish brown hair. She looks like my daughter alright.

Everyone was looking at me now. When I say everyone, I mean even Arabella and Angel had their eyes on me.

"Okay, guys, meet my kids. The one I'm holding is Angel-"

"I think I can name them all! Can I try, Max?" That was Brianna for you. She's sort of like Nudge, kind of a loud mouth.

"Uh ... sure, give it a try, Bri Bri."

She stepped from behind Ryan, keeping Allysun close to her. She pointed at Angel. "That's Angel," she pointed at the Gasman, "that's her brother, Gazzy..." She named some of the others. She messed up with Fang and Iggy, saying they were each other, but she quickly shook her head and said, "No, you're Iggy and the dark haired boy is ... um, Fang, right?" She asked me. Both me and Fang nodded. Her brother giving her a small smile. She continued, getting stuck when it came to my clone.

Noticing this, she stepped up and said, "I'm Maya." Maya, Maya, Maya. I'd totally forgotten about her. A thought came over me. She hadn't said much since I'd been there. Maybe she really wasn't like me and was her "own" person as Fang had said before I was taken to the School.

An awkward silence came over us.

Angel snuggled into me as Ari started crying and screaming at the top of her lungs.

Angel lifted her face up to look at me.

"Sorry, baby girl." I set her down on the floor. She nodded but still took my hand. I went over to Michael, who was trying to calm Arabella down and took her from him. Angel tugged at my arm. I turned to her and kneeled so that I could show her Arabella.

She gasped. Like I said earlier, she looks like a younger, baby version of me, but she has something about her that isn't, or look like ... me. I just can't figure it out though.

"Can ... Can I hold her?" Angel asked.

I kissed Ari's forehead and since she had stopped crying, I put her in Angel's arms. I showed her how to do it and told her to be careful. Very careful. Everyone else crowded around Angel.

"Awwww!" Nudge said. "She's so cute!"

Gazzy had his eyebrows scrunched and was talking to Iggy, describing Arabella to Iggy. Even Maya and Dylan were curious enough to join the group. Fang stood apart from the group, staring at my little group of friends. I glanced back at Arabella. She would be okay, she was amongst her family.

_Can you watch her for a minute? _I asked Angel.

She nodded.

_Nudge is dying to hold her. Can she? _Angel asked.

_Of course,_ I thought to her as she passed her to Nudge. She gave her a confused, grateful expression. Then half turned to give me a grateful smile and mouthed "_Thanks."_ I nodded and went back to my group and Fang. They were still staring at each other uncomfortably.

"Guys, I haven't introduced you like it's supposed to be. This is Fang, my best friend." I said to them. Brianna's stare-which to tell you the truth, wasn't very intimidating-softened, but not the guys'.

I snapped my fingers twice. Michel glanced at me, his eyes soft.

"Fang, this are my friends from the School. They helped me escape and get to you guys."

Fang's eyes were on me. But he still sneaked a furious peek at Michael. Michael responded by deepenning his stare. What's up with them?

"We destroyed all the Schools and gave freedom to all the experiments there were left. Apparently we were wrong," Fang said. His Adam's apple rising in his throat.

"Fang?"

"Yes? "

"Where's the Flock living? And why-"

"Guys! Dinner's ready! Mom said that if you didn't hurry up, you wouldn't eat at all!" Someone shouted, interrupting me. A _very_ familiar someone, that is.

**Oooh! I know this wasn't my best chapter but this had to happen. Please tell me if you liked it or it sucked. I got less reviews than usual on last chapter :/ , please write some reviews for me :) Ideas for the story for now or in the future are greatly appreciated and loved. I love you guys. You're great :) Also if you noticed any mistakes, tell me please. (If you haven't noticed, my chapters are getting longer, so yay!).**

**Review!**

**XOXO,**

**emeralgreenlove**


	6. Chapter 6 So Many Things

**Dying is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much.**

**Chapter Six: So Many Things**

**Hello, my lovely readers! **

Last on Dying is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much:

"_Guys! Dinner's ready! Mom said that if you didn't hurry up, you wouldn't eat at all!" Someone shouted, interrupting me. A very familiar someone, that is._

"Ella! Come here, babe!" Iggy shouted.

Fang and I exchanged a look. My eye brow was up questioningly, _Are they together? _I silently asked. He nodded.

I gave him an amused half smile before acknowledging, my half sister was here along with my flock and friends and my baby, and just when I thought things couldn't get better, they did.

Iggy's smile told me he was happy.

"Alright! But you better give me a lift back!" Ella yelled back.

"Yes, ma'am!" Iggy shouted across the clearing, where Ella appeared shortly after.

Iggy ran over to the general area where Ella was and offered her his back. She jumped into his back with little effort, as if this wasn't the first time she'd done it.

They exchanged some words.

My sister looked more beautiful than I remembered. She had a more woman-like body, with nice hips and curves other girls would kill for. Her face, though, was still that of an innocent-looking sixteen year old girl. If she ever needed it, she might even be able to convince a cop to let her off the hook.

A thought crossed my mind that I hadn't thought over before.

Arabella was going to meet her real aunt and possibly, her grandmother sooner than I thought. The alarms in my head went off.

_Ella _was going to notice me and meet my daughter for the first time. Would Ella and Mom freak out? And Fang still hadn't set his eyes on Arabella, did he even know she was mine?

Iggy tried to run with Ella on his back, but just gave up into a jog.

They approached the Flock, apart from us.

"Hey, guys. Angel, you look so cute today. See, you have to stop taking after my sister," I noticed a bit of sadness in her voice, "you look better when you wear more girl-like things."

Angel looked down at the white bundled-up blanket she held in her arms and stroked Ari's little sleeping face.

Ella didn't see what I was seeing so she was trying to lean forward, while she was still in Iggy's back.

"Wat'cha got there?" Ella said. "Did you find a hurt animal? Poor thing."

Nobody corrected her. She didn't seem to miss Fang, or the fact that we were standing mere feet away from her.

Iggy and the others muttered something between them. Ella got off of Iggy's back.

She looked confused.

"Ella!" Dylan shouted, with some force in his voice. It was as if he was suppressing the urge to scream.

"Yes, Dylan?" Ella said, in her ever-so patient sweet voice.

Honestly, if I hadn't had to be a patient person with the Flock before, I don't know what I would have done. I mean, Ella's so patient she almost never raises her voice (like right now, I would have raised my voice back at Dylan, but she didn't). Well, the Ella I know anyways. How in the world does she do that?

"Ella, it's a baby, it's not a hurt animal, it's just a baby." Dylan replied exasperated_. _His tone was the one of someone being patient with a child that asked why the sky is blue over and over again.

Iggy glared in Dylan's general direction. "Don't talk to Ella like that. Just because you're dating the leader doesn't mean that everyone else is below you. Okay?" He sounded really mad. I wonder how long they've been together. I mean, I know they liked each other since before I was taken.

Something that took me by surprise was the 'dating the leader' part. I thought that Fang would have taken over for me, not Maya.

"Iggy," Ella said quietly, almost too quiet to reach my super hearing ears, "thanks, but let it go." She kissed the temple tenderly and left her cheek next to his for a while before moving it. "Please. Now, what's this about a baby?" I think she got this from Mom, that's exactly how my mother would react.

Iggy pointed at the blanket that was in my baby girl's arms. I still couldn't believe that Angel or any of the other kids were in front of me and how crazy is that my baby was holding my baby? A lot, I know.

For a moment I spaced out, my mind block up again. Hadn't Angel seemed totally nice before but turned evil? I had to be totally sure that she was nice again and that she wouldn't do anything crazy, especially with Ari around. I couldn't put her in danger. Gosh, somebody help me sort out my thoughts.

Angel moved up a little so that she was standing directly in front of Iggy and Ella. Her moves were slow, as if she didn't want to take on too much. I guess she was just treating my baby delicately-like glass. That was fine with me, I didn't know what I would do if she had let her fall to the floor or get hurt in any way. I'd already lost two babies, I didn't want to lose this one, not another one. Much less to the hands of a nine year old.

Ella peered in. Ella's face turned a little whiter.

She glanced back up at Dylan and Maya. Maya still had her arm hooked in Dylan's and her head on his shoulder. Maya looked tired, sleepy, where as the other looked more alive and hyper.

"So that's what you guys are always doing." Ella said to Maya and Dylan accusingly, her eyes where narrowed down into accusing slits. She pointed at Dylan. "I knew it. You spend way too much time inside your rooms."

Maya looked like she had no idea where the heck she even was and Ella was asking her a difficult math problem that she couldn't solve but might just save her life. She was squinting up at Ella.

Dylan looked like he was about to die in the next instant, his cheeks were flushed and he was looking down.

Even thought he was embarrassed, he probably said something about how it wasn't his and Maya's kid.

"It's not impossible, little Mr. Perfect." This was directed at Dylan. "Haven't you watched that series on TLC? I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant? It's possible. The woman doesn't always shows the signs of pregnancy." She paused. "Anyhow, she looks so much like you, Maya. It's impossible to believe she isn't yours. She's like an exact copy of my sister. But younger, of course. Who are her parents? Where are they? What are you guys even doing with her?"

Well, time to step up. I was going to move but cached a movement outside of my eye.

Fang's face appeared beside me. It was like I'd been hearing the whole conversation but not from _my_ point of view, it was like I was outside of my body, freely floating around like a spirit.

"Is she really your daughter?" Fang hissed quietly enough that I barely heard it.

I slightly nodded my head, a very tiny movement that if you hadn't been watching closely you wouldn't have even seen it. He understood. Fang was going to (probably) hiss out another thing, but I moved forward, ignoring him. Seriously, what's up with Fang?

I stepped forward, for like the fifth today? Geesh, I've done that a lot today. I noticed that there had been some green plants and trees around us, maybe that's what help conceal us from Ella's sight field.

"I don't know about her father," I said loudly enough to be heard from a mile a way, "but I sure as heck have a really good guess of who's Ari's momma. I hear she's hot and pretty kick-ass too." I smiled widely.

Ella's face got even whiter than before.

I think that if it hadn't been because of Iggy's hold on her waist, she would have fainted or fallen face first or something.

"I thought we had an agreement," Ella said, her voice slightly cracking, "on no more clones." She sounded as if they had betrayed her.

"But that's the thing, Ella," I said, "I'm not a clone. I'm your sister. Maximum Ride."

Ari started crying again.

Angel handed her to me.

"I think she's a little hungry. I read her mind and she's pretty curious. She wants to know who Fang and Ella are and why they haven't held her yet. Apparently, she does this thing of hers where she judges if the person is good or bad." She paused. "She's thinking of the people who helped you give birth." She paused again for a minute, making a face. "I didn't need that picture. Anyhow, the whitecoats. And these other things that look like ... I don't know. Like a fish, I think."

I nodded.

"They're supposed to be the replacement for Erasers. The species is called Tropicaels or something, but I just call them Fish Faces."

I'd been ignoring Ari's cries but she started screaming her lungs off.

I clutched her tighter to me.

"Ella?" I said.

"Baby," I whispered to Ari, "this is important. Help mommy out. Please." I rocked her.

My sister had her head tilted, like a confused puppy.

"Yes? Max?" She replied dazzled.

"Mom's here, right? Did you move? 'Cuz this isn't the same address as before."

Ella was slow to answer but did after Iggy whispered something to her."Yeah, we did. After you, um, went missing."

I nodded my head.

"Is ... Is Mom doing okay?" I asked, afraid of the answer.

"It's been two years, Max," she said. "At first she was really upset, but then she just moved on. She never really had you in the first place, but it still hurt."

I nodded again. I held on to her brown eyes across the clearing.

In one hand, I argued with myself that if she was doing okay and I came back, maybe all I would do to her would be cause her more pain. Maybe it would be better for her if she didn't see me at all. But on the other hand, if I was her, I would have liked to see my daughter and meet the granddaughter I never knew existed in the first place. In the end, the more selfish reason won. I wanted to see my mother and she might be able to see my clones every day but it had been two years since I'd seen her.

Gazzy was the one that finally broke into the spell.

"Max?" He asked.

I glanced at him.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Are you going to stay?" I thought hard about it.

My stomach growled. Ari jumped in my arms and started crying harder again. Oh goodness, and she was almost asleep.

"While you guys have your family reunion, Maya and I are going home." Dylan said. I'd forgotten all about them.

"Sures" and "Okays" were heard around me.

They started running. Hand in hand, they had just taken to the sky when Ella shouted, "Don't tell Mom about this!"

I turned back to Gazzy, still in front of me. Arabella was starting to calm down again.

"I don't know, Gaz," I finally told him.

He gave me a cute frown.

"Why?"

I made myself his size.

"Gazzy, I just came out of the School. I still don't know what to do. My first thoughts were those of coming here. I'm here. I'm starting to think it was a mistake. You have a leader. Everyone's fine and in one piece. You'll be fine without me."

I think that was the first time I'd ever been so honest with someone. Well, that was the first time in a long time that I'd been so honest with someone that wasn't Fang or Arabella. Yeah, you read right, Arabella. I tell her everything even though she can't possibly understand it.

"Well, what had you planned out? You always have a plan. You're Maximum Ride." That was from Nudge. She was right. I always had a plan. Always.

"Nudge, my plans aren't going the way I planned it to be, so it can't actually function."

The sun was sinking around us.

"How about we go eat dinner, and we'll talk about it later? As a Flock and as a family." Fang said from behind me.

Everyone was hungry so they agreed.

"But you're going to stay? Right, Max? For dinner?" Angel said. She was wearing those darn bambi eyes, as were Nudge, Gazzy and even Iggy. He's almost a man and I still couldn't have resisted him even if I tried.

Everyone watched me as I nodded slowly. They cheered and started talking.

"Guys," I said. "I hate to rain on your parade but my friends are still here." I glanced at Brianna, Ryan and Michael. "Is there a restaurant near by?"

Ella noticed them for the first time.

She let go of Iggy.

Someone replied, "We'll manage."

Ella walked toward my friends and quickly introduced herself and started talking with the guys as the kids started walking back to the house. I don't really know why they were walking when Dylan and Maya had flown out, but whatever.

I hung back and started feeding Arabella. She _finally _stopped crying.

The Flock and Ella glanced back at me now and then, giving me a smile or a nod.

"Don't stay back, these woods are dangerous," a deep voice said. A looked up at Fang.

"I think I can manage." I said with not as much confidence as I would have liked. The kids were a few feet in front of us.

I looked down at my baby.

"What up? How are you doing?" Fang said.

I looked back up at Fang and bit my lip.

I thought about it a little. "I don't know. You?"

"Me? I'm as happy as hell." He gave me one of his crooked Fang smiles.

I smiled back a small smile.

"Why is that, Mr. Fnick?"

He laughed. A small, quiet sound that I'd missed. Everyone turned around to check if they had missed a joke. Angel smiled at me. They started walking again.

When he stop laughing he said, "I'd actually forgotten about that." He smiled again. "I can't believe I got you right in front of me. I thought I'd never see you again. You're _home_." His voice ended small and sad. His eyes looked slightly teary. I wanted to put my arms around him and comfort him but I had Arabella in my arms. I didn't know about the 'home' part though, I didn't have a home. Sad, I know.

Fang looked away for a minute. Arabella finished and I covered myself up. I put Arabella's tiny head on my shoulder. Fang looked back at me, his eyes on the tiny body laid out across my shoulder.

"Damn, you're fast."

I nodded and was about to start burping Arabella when Brianna not so quietly said, "Maximum Ride, you better not get anything on that shirt. It's brand-new. If not, you'll have to wear those same pants for the rest of the week. _Without_ thighs. And you'll have to let me play life-size Barbie with you."

Everyone laughed. They don't know she's actually serious.

I rolled my eyes.

"Gimme one of those tiny face thingies then. They're in the front pocket, Ryan."

He brought it to me.

"Thanks." He gave me a slight nod and went back to Michael's side.

I put it across my shoulder and started burping Ari.

Surprisingly, I was done pretty fast. I folded the towel and put it in my back pocket.

Arabella looked at me with big brown eyes.

"Some friend you got there. She seems like Nudge." Fang said. At the mention of her name, she turned her head but went back to her conversation with Angel.

"You got no idea. She's worse than Nudge. She was the one that made me pick out these clothes and wear makeup. I'm surprised-"

I stopped talking and looked at Arabella. Her eyes were on Fang, it was as if she was trying to tell him something. It was so cool to watch her do this. She hadn't done this with anyone except Michael and me.

"Go on," Fang said. His face was facing forward, looking ahead. Not knowing what was happening.

"I, um, think my daughter wants you to hold her. She does this weird thing with her eyes when she wants something."

He looked at me, then at Arabella. I think he saw it too. He wordlessly took her from me.

Something formed at his lips. Something that grew into a small smile.

He was inspecting her tiny little face with curiosity. And other emotions crossed his face, but I couldn't decipher which ones were which. Fang raised his arms over his head so that she was above him, like a small bird.

I hugged the leather jacket to me and put it back on my shoulders.

Fang started baby talking and cooing to Ari. I never knew he was the type.

Arabella suddenly grabbed Fang's nose. Fang gave her a pissed off _knock it off _look, but she was only a baby and didn't understand what was happening, so she started to pull his nose. I tried to keep in my laughter but couldn't. I started laughing so hard I almost peed my pants. How embarrassing is that, huh?

Everyone else glanced back at us with an _Are you serious? _expression but started laughing too as soon as they saw what was going on. Ella told Iggy what was happening and he laughed along. Even Michael was laughing, whom I don't think they'll get along very well with Fang.

"That's my girl! Good job, Ari!" He said from the front of the group.

I think that my laughter was contagious because Arabella was laughing her soft, baby laugh, even though she didn't know that it was all her. Fang was frowning. I would have taken her from him but my sides hurt too much.

"Fang, hold on for a minute!" Ella said. Before any of us had any idea what was going on, she took a picture of Arabella and Fang with her phone's camera.

The laughter subsided and we started walking again.

"You know, you're a baby and all but don't you grab my nose again like that." He took her hand off his nose. "Okay?"

He shook his head. I looked away.

"She's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, Max." I looked at him. He handed her to me, when she started whining he took her back. "She looks exactly like you." I ignored the tingly feeling inside me and the heat that was taking over my cheek.

"That's what I do," I muttered and looked away, "I make pretty babies." I muttered the last part low enough that he probably didn't hear me. We walked the rest of the way in silence. When we were able to see the back part of the house you could see it was big, but not mansion big. There was a smaller house that was separate. Smaller.

I glanced at Fang. I watched him watch me for a moment.

"Guest house," he whispered. Ah, he knew me so well.

Arabella was laying on his shoulder, asleep. Thank goodness. I'd been trying to get her to go back to sleep for a while now. She looked so peaceful and innocent. I wonder if the whitecoats got nightmares. I mean, who can hurt something so pure and innocent and still not feel freaked out or anything?

I reached out and stroked her almost bald head softly. I stood on my tippy toes and kissed her forehead softly. Everyone else was still ahead of us.

Ella opened the back door and yelled something to the person that was there. Probably Mom. Ella got in and everyone came in after her. Brianna glanced back at me.

_Is it safe? Can we trust her? Do we go in? _her eyes asked this questions and so many others. She was clutching her own child to her chest.

I nodded.

Brianna along with Michael and Ryan reluctantly got in and closed the door behind them.

"Are you ready?" Fang asked me, pointing at the house with his head.

"I'm not sure I'll ever be."

It was the truth. So many things had happened today that I almost couldn't think straight.

**So, what do you think will happen?**

**This chapter was kind of a filler. I admit, it was a little suck-y. I might even re-write it in the future. This wasn't my favorite chapter to write so I dunno what you guys will think. (Just for the record, the chapter I've enjoyed writing the most is the one with the poem and Max speaking about her memories. It's just SO cute.)**

**Do you like the Eggy? I sure hope so! Eggy is my second favorite pairing, after FAX of course.**

**Please review. I need 10 or 11 reviews for this chapter.**

**Important Note: **

**I probably won't be able to update for a while- maybe 3 or 4 weeks. I'll update as soon as I can.**

**REVIEW!**

**(And you might get some virtual choco chip cookies and milk!)**

**XOXO,**

**emeralgreenlove**


	7. Chapter 7 Mom

**Dying is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much.**

**Chapter Seven: Mom**

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Last on Dying is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much:

_"Are you ready?" Fang asked me, pointing at the house with his head._

_"I'm not sure I'll ever be."_

_It was the truth. So many things had happened today that I almost couldn't think straight._

Fang stretched out his arm and took my hand in his. His hands were way bigger than mine. I looked down at our intertwined fingers, sparks flew through my arm and onto the rest of my body. I glanced up at Fang through my lashes. He smiled softly at me and squeezed.

"You'll be okay. We always are."

I found myself smiling back at him.

If I'd ever had a doubt that I was still in love with my best friend, it was long gone. My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest, beating so loud.

I squeezed back and took Arabella from him. Why? I don't know. My nerves are on edge.

We started walking again.

"Who's her father?" He nodded at Arabella. "Is it that Asian-looking kid?" I knew who he meant. Michael. How could I tell him that I didn't know who my baby's father was? It would make me look like someone who slept with a ton of guys, like a slut. I didn't want him to think that of me. I want him to maintain the respect he has for me.

"Listen," I said. "I never expected Ari or anything else that happen. It was all the School's work. I really don't wanna talk about it."

Fang nodded.

He opened the back door, touched my hair silently and got in. His slight touch made a shiver go through my whole body. I heard voices from inside.

"Hey Fang! I want you to meet my mother. Her name's Elisa." I couldn't believe my ears. My own mother was talking about someone who was apperantly my grandmother. Her voice was almost the exact same as before, except there was something different about it that I couldn't quite pinpoint.

Statements were passed from person to person and I realized that I had been standing outside for much too long. I had been away from home-or whatever you want to call this place. I really don't know what else to think of it as-for much too long. It was time to face my mom once again and have my whole family together once again. This is what I had been dreaming of for a long time. Now that I actually had the oppurtunity to do it I wanted to back out so badly. I know, highly unusual for me. I was the only one that could ever do anything about it . Besides, I never back out of anything and I'm not going to start now either.

I kissed my daughter's head and watched her eyes blink open.

I sighed. Ari, Ari, Ari. I think she was the only thing that allowed me to remain strong and do what I needed to do. I opened the door in front of me, stepped through the threshhole and made the room go silent.

Everyone was at the dinner table (which was pretty big to fit everyone and an older woman, whom I assume is my "grandmother").

My mother's eyes bulged out of her head when she saw me. I felt bad for her because her face was filled with terror and sadness and all these other emotions I'd never seen in her face before. I could see the gears turning in her brain. My best guest was that she was thinking that I was a clone, like everyone else. I didn't realize that she had risen from her chair until she almost fell. Her face was sweaty and she seemed drained all of a sudden. If it hadn't been for Fang and Ella, she would have fallen.

I didn't think twice before running to where my mother was leaning slightly on Fang and Ella. I was so close to her. I was about to put my arm around her shoulders to steady her when I felt the pain in my cheek. My motherly instincts took over and I glanced down at my baby. 'Kids first, you later' has been my motto forever. That'll never change, I guess.

Arabella was silently crying, as if it had been her who had been hit. She looked terrified; she may be only four months old, but she has experienced enough phisical pain to know what it is. From the looks of it, she handn't been harmed. I clutched her tighter to me and raised my gaze once again. It only seemed to make things worse with my mom.

A tear slid down my cheek. It burned. Not the fact that I'd gotten hit, but from the fact is what my mom whom I'd gotten the blow from. My own mother.

Fang was clutching Mom's arm and Ella was holding tight to her other arm.

"Dr.M, we can explain." Fang said.

"Yeah, Mom. Please just listen to us." Ella said.

My mother still looked murderous. It felt like everything around us was in pause. No one dared to move or make a sound.

Then everything came back. Everyone except Ryan, Brianna and Michael started talking at once. They look shocked. I'd told them a lot of things about my mom, all of them being nice things. Like the way she is so nice and sweet. The slap was as much as a surprise for them like it had been for me.

A piercing scream was heard. All of us turned, out of the daze. Angel was in her seat, half of her body in the seat, the other standing up. She had her ears covered and was letting out an awful sound. I sighed in relief.

I'd thought that something horrible had come for me and my family. I briefly wondered if the School had put a chip in one of us. I knew that I probably didn't, but what about my child? And what about the others?

Angel stood up abruptly from her chair and it clattered loudly. That was the final straw for Arabella, she started wailing as loud as her little lungs would allow her. Angel marched to me and held out her arms, her eyes on Arabella.

"Angel. Get away from her. We don't know who this woman is. NOW." My mother said.

I don't know how she (Angel) did this, but she snatched my baby from my arms. She held Arabella on her left arm and in a flash, took my hand in hers. Everything was so damn fast that I didn't have time to react. She looked into my eyes and I felt her going through my thoughts, I tried to block her out but she was too strong. I wonder how she got so freaking good at reading minds.

I swear it wasn't even a full minute when she let go of my hand with a painful look on her face. She handed Arabella to Michael (who look very confused) and hugged my waist as hard as she could. I looked down at her.

_WOW. I'm sorry you had to go through all that. We thought that you were gone. If we had known we would have stop it from happening._

Shocked, I thought back, _You know what happened in the School?_

She nodded, not raising her head from my stomach.

_Please don't say anything, _I pleaded in my head.

All of this happened very quickly. Then she, too, was snatched from my arms. This time by my angry mother.

**A/N: I finally updated! SO sorry, I wish I could update more often, but for the time being, I can't. Enjoy it while you got it :) Also, I would really appreciate it if you would read the story I'm going to post, Waitress and any of my other stories would be good too. Please be patient with me.**

**Review!**

**XOXO,**

**emeralgreenlove**


	8. AN

**Hello my lovely friends from all my different stories.**

**I'm putting all my stories on hiatus so that I can have more time to concentrate on my most important story, one that I will try and publish in the future. Please understand that this is very important for me and that though I love all my readers I'll have to be a bit selfish and do what's best for me. **

**I hope you understand my decision-it's only temporary!**

**I still might occasionally update like in my b-day (Jan. 19th) or Christmas or whatevs but don't expect me to update all the time.**

**I hope that when I make my comeback you'll still want to read my stories.**

**Forgive me.**

**XOXO,**

**emeralgreenlove.**

**P.S. I will probably delete this as soon as I get back to regular updatings, so don't bug me about it.**


	9. Chapter 8 Unwanted Visitors

Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much.

Chapter Eight: Unwanted Visitors

Note: when the Spanish parts come, scroll down if you don't want to try your hand translating Spanish.

Last on Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much.:

All of this happened very quickly. Then she, too, was snatched from my arms.

This time by my angry mother

XxX

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Angel escape her grasp and run to Fang while I was having a stare-off with my mother.

It didn't seem fair. I'd just gotten out of the stupid School and now my mother was treating me like crap. It just didn't seem to add up. Had I done something so incredibly wrong in the life that I'd had before that I needed to be punished in THIS life. Think positive. Arabella. Ella. Nudge. Iggy.

Fang...

"Don't you dare to even of even coming near my family. You hear me?" my mother asked, her voice cold.

I force out a cold laugh.

"YOUR family? You wouldn't have known they even existed if it wasn't for me.

They're my family too you know. That right there," I point at Ella, "isn't only your youngest daughter, but my half-sister. And if you think you'll be able to keep me away from them I can't begin to even tell you how wrong you are. I don't care WHAT you think of me. Whether it is that I'm a clone or whatever it is you think I am. I'm the one and only Maximum Ride and if you think you'll be able to stop me from doing anything..." I shake my head as if to say 'you're in for big trouble'.

She kept staring at me as if I hadn't said anything, then started circling me with her hands behind her back.

Fang stepped in front of her. They shared a look. Mom stepped away from me and Fang walked behind me. Weight was taken off my back and when I felt his hands on the back of my neck did I realize that he had put my hair on the top of my head. My heart was beating loudly, it felt like a bird trying to escape from a cage.

"Relax." Fang's whispered in my ear. I felt my body relax, but only a little bit. Out of the blue I noticed that Fang's voice had gotten a bit deeper and masculine.

"Maya, Ella," Fang called and with the hand that wasn't on top if my head motioned for them to come forward. They both came silently.

"Would you girls both put your hair up? Like Max's?"

They both did.

I didn't notice anything. I really didn't know what was going on either, but I trust Fang and I know he'll have my back no matter what.

"Dr.M, if you check the back of Maya's neck, you'll see she has no freckles there." Mom looked at him like he was crazy. "Then if you check the back of Max's neck, as well as Ella's, you'll see they both have a freckle in the exact same place. I know you might not believe me, but clones don't have the same birthmarks or freckles on the same place as the original person. And if you check YOUR neck, you'll see that like your girls, you have it too. This IS Max. You won't have to cry for her any more because she's here. She's home and she just wants to be with her family."

Wow. Since when did Fang become one of those guys that make family and friends come together?

"You told me she was dead," my Mom's voice was accusing as was her stare, but I could see that she was starting to believe us. Yes!

"The truth is," Nudge spoke up, "that we thought she was dead, but we never actually found her body. The last time we saw her, we were on a mission. We all split up and at one point we all had to fight mutants from the School or Doomsday or whatever. The point is, after we met up again, we searched for her body and never found anything. A few days before, we'd met up with Fang's group and we had his phone number so we called him up. Him and his group helped us search too, but we found nothing. We just thought that she'd been blown to pieces, as we did with Angel. In both cases, we were fortunately wrong as they both survived."

I wanted to smile. I'm so proud of my Flock. Angel doesn't want to be dressed up like a doll; Fang sounds like psychologist (at least how they show them to be in tv); and Nudge sounds like a detective piecing puzzle pieces together (also how they show them on tv).

Fang turned me around and let go of my hair. Mom suddenly hugged me. It was quick and I didn't hug back as I was shocked and I was still tensed up.

Mom let go quickly.

"Sorry. I just felt like I needed to do that."

I forced my lips into a small smile. I can't begin to tell you how weird I've felt in the last couple hours of my life.

She told her mother everything that had happened in fluid Spanish. She was about to introduce me when I felt the need to make my mother proud.

"Hola. Me llamo Maximum Ride, pero todos me llaman Max. Siento que haya tenido que ver eso. Nunca quise que nos conocieramos haci, pero para ser honesta contigo, yo nunca supe que usted existia."

This is what I said in Spanish: Hello. My name's Maximum Ride, but everybody just calls me Max. I'm sorry you had to see that. I never meant for us to meet this way, but to be honest with you, I never even knew you existed.

Everyone stared at me with shock, well except those who were aware of my Spanish and Elisa.

"What? You thought that I was going to be locked up for two years and not learn anything new? Please all I had to do was act like a mutant freak for a couple hours and the rest was free time."

"Hola, Max. Tu madre me ah dicho todo sobre ti y tus adventuras. Son facinantes. En verdad me facinan. Las encanto. Especialmente las partes romanticas de tu y Colmillo, o Fang como tu lo llamas. Fue una desgracia que se separaron. Yo me entristezi mucho por ello." I blushed as I double checked my translation.

She said: Hi, Max. Your mother has told me all about you and your adventures.

They're fascinating. I love them. They really do fascinate me, especially de romantic parts of you and Colmillo , or Fang as you call him. It was a tragedy that you broke up. I was deeply saddened by it.

"Ah, thanks I guess," I soon realized my mistake. "I mean, gracias."

She nodded, smiling.

Brianna wiggled her eyebrows at me, but she's the only one I see as I put my head down quickly, avoiding anyone's gaze.

The room was quiet and if you tried, you could of have cut the awkwardness with a knife.

"Hi, I'm Max and I love Fang sooooo much," my voice started making kissy noises.

I looked up at Gazzy saying stuff in my voice. Some laughs erupt around the room.

"I'm still here because of you, you ungrateful brat," I spat out angrily. I know I shouldn't be so harsh on him and that he doesnt mean harm or anything, but he should think about how the stuff he says makes me feel for once.

He looked up at me wide-eyed.

"Sorry," he mutters. "Just trying to lighten the mood."

"I know," I whisper as I ruffle his blonde hair.

"Now, Mom, everybody else has met Arabella; I think that you should meet her.

After all, she IS your first grandchild." Then a thought hit me. "Well, unless Ella has been busier than I thought, if you catch my drift."

Ella blushed and gave me a dirty look.

"You- you have a-"

My mother was cut off by the sound of a slamming door. I tensed up and glanced around the room. To Fang I gave a look that said 'get ready to fight if it comes to that.'. And to Michael, Brianna and Ryan the look that I gave meant 'get ready to run if you have to.' The rest of the Flock members knew the drill. At least I hope they've been practicing their fighting skills.

Someone came into the kitchen and before he or she had a chance to do anything I kicked him from behind the knees, got his hands behind his back and covered his mouth.

"It's just Jeb, let him up," Fang hissed.

I looked down to see the traitor. I reluctantly let him up and let go of him.

He turned around and faced me. I scowled at him. He disgusts me.

"What? No 'hi, Dad'? Are you mad at me, sweetheart?"

Okay what is up with him. Is he high or something?

"Daddy I'm right here!" my voice said. Maya poked out her head from the kitchen. "That's Max you're talking to."

Maya ran out of the kitchen and threw herself over Jeb.

Trust me, the scene just made me want to start puking my guts out.

"Sorry I'm late for dinner you guys," a voice I hate and never expected to hear says and appears where Jeb had been a couple minutes ago.

XxX

Please don't hate me for leaving you a cliffy. Please tell me who you think it is.

I have a goal for reviews: 15 reviews.

Pretty pretty please.

REVIEW!

XOXO,

emeralgreenlove.


	10. Chapter 9 Red Head and Obnoxious

Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much

Chapter Nine:

Last on Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much "Sorry I'm late for dinner you guys," a voice I hate and never expected to hear says and appears where Jeb had been a couple minutes ago.

XxX

Every time I remembered her, my thoughts were not very... nice, to say the least. She was red-headed and obnoxious and annoying.

When she spotted me ,she said, "Oh, hey Maya. I missed you! Aren't you going to give your bestie a hug?" she opened her arms and I gave her an 'are you okay?' look, which she unfortunately didn't notice as she was looking at the people who were at the dinner table.

"Who are these people? And where's Dyl?" she asked.

"He's in the kitchen," Maya replied once she untangled herself from Jeb.

Bridgid glanced at the two of us confused, and with a scared look on her eyes.

I knew that seeing two of me was freaking her out so to add to it, I smiled evilly. Seeing her eyes widen with fear just made my day better.

"Bridgid, this is Max," Fang said, putting a hand on my shoulder, "THAT'S Maya," he finished off by pointing at my clone.

"Ohhhhh. Okay. Whatever. Hi Fang, how are you?" she opened her arms as she had done to me. The only difference was that he actually gave her a hug and a kiss on her cheek.

I turned away and motioned for my friends to get up and follow me. They got up and I reached for my little Ari. I glanced around the room and saw that everyone was involved a conversation or something. Bottom line? They wouldn't notice if we left, so that's what we did.

Once we got outside, I said, " I'm so sorry I dragged you all in there. If I would have known that this would happen, I wouldn't have allowed it."

"If we'd had the chance that you have, I'm a hundred and ten percent sure you would have helped us," Ryan said and Michael nodded his head.

"I know, you guys. I know. I just wish I had a guarantee that told me that my Flock is completely and utterly safe. I feel that if those kids get hurt, it'll be MY fault. I'm supposed to be their leader-not that stupid clone Maya."

"It'll be okay, Max. Don't worry about it. I'm sure they'll be okay." Mike put his arm around my shoulder and continued talking. "They WILL miss you though. Especially the little girl."

"Yeah," I smile, "she's always been my little girl. I miss having her around.

Even if she IS a creepy little mind-reader at times."

"Wait," Michael says, "she reads minds. The tiny little one?"

"Yep. That's Angel."

"Uy. That really is scary."

"Okay guys. Stop right here," I commanded.

"Why are we stopping?" Brianna asked.

"We're taking to the sky. Well, except you Mike. I think I saw a hotel on the way here. So, we'll need a place to rest."

"I'll take Arabella from you then," Michael said and took her from my arms.

"Okay then."

I took off running and got airborne.

After a couple of minutes of flying, thoughts that weren't mine entered my mind.

'Max, meet me at the lake. Please, it's important,' Angel's voice says. I try to persuade her to let me leave, but she doesn't and at the end, I meet her there (with instructions how to get there).

When I get to where she tells me, there's no one there.

I sit at the edge of the river and stick my feet in. Time passes. Ten, twenty, thirty minutes. When I was about to give up on them (I even fed my daughter and burped her), they finally came.

"Look, she's here!" Nudge's voice said.

"I told you she was going to be here!" Angel's voice said exasperated.

Ryan and Michael shared a look.

Arabella started making cooing sounds.

One by one, the Flock started making its way out of the trees.

Angel ran to me and hugged me as well as Nudge and Gazzy. I tried to hug them back with my free arm, but hugging three kids and having a baby on your other arm at the same time isn't exactly easy.

They all started talking at the same time.

"Guys! Shh! Arabella will start crying."

"Why did you leave?" Iggy asked.

I hadn't noticed him and Fang were now in front of me.

"Well, you're well off now. I've done my part on making sure you all are okay, and now I have to go."

"Why?" Gazzy asked.

"Sweetie, since the minute I stepped into this place all I've caused is trouble and drama. I just wanted to know if you were alright. And you are."

"But we want you to be here with us," Angel said.

"Max, we NEED you to be here with us," Nudge says, "I'm fourteen and Fang and Iggy refuse to even let me get out the door on my own, much less talk to boys.

I need you. Maya doesn't even act like she cares about us or anything. Please Max. I would never forgive you if you walk out on us. It would be like a mom walking out on her kids."

She buries her head in my chest and heaves tearless sobs. I put my hand on her hair and brush it with my fingers.

I look away only to meet the eyes of those of the older members of the Flock and my friends.

"Sit down, guys." I motion for the younger members of the Flock to sit down.

They reluctantly do as I tell them and soon enough we're sitting in a circle of four (well five, but Ari's sitting on my lap).

"I still don't understand why you guys want me to stay. You guys are probably better off without me. Since I got captured, did you guys get bothered by the School?"

Nobody said anything.

"Because-" Iggy started.

Angel got up and pulled him down beside me.

"Because we're a family, Max. Remember what you told me when my parents turned out to be douches? And when we rescued Angel? You said that we're not the Flock unless we're all together. The six of us."

I smiled remembering it, then laughed.

"What?" Nudge asked.

"You guys have forgotten about my poor baby girl," I looked down at her and kissed her forehead. "Haven't they, baby?" I asked her quietly.

She gurgled in response.

"Okay. Keep going. Why else?" I said.

"Remember when I left? How did you feel?"

I glanced around for Fang, but he was no where to be found.

"Fang, I thing you've gone InvisiBoy."

Fang became visible again.

"Didn't you feel hurt? Imagine that ten times worst."

I got up and stood up in front of him.

"Don't you pull that... baloney on me. And much less in front of the kids and my friends. Just don't. What I'm doing is different than what YOU did."

"How is it different what I did from what you're doing? We both obviously want what's best for them," he pointed at the kids, who were looking at us waiting for my answer. "Think of them, Max. Don't think of me or you or Maya or Dylan-think of them. And your daughter? She'll be better off if she's a part of the Flock. You won't have to worry about her as much as you'll have to worry about her if your 'friends' have your back." I looked at my friends, then the Flock and finally my daughter. We were out of hearing range, I couldn't help but feel bad for my friends; it wasn't their fault they didnt know much about fighting.

Arabella reached for something and took a hold of Fang's shirt.

I took her hands off of his shirt, but she kept on reaching for him.

Fang looked me in the eye and took Arabella out of my arms. I watched his movements as he rocked my daughter to sleep.

"What are your plans then, Fang? I don't think you are in a position where you can offer or guarantee me anything. From what I've seen I can only infer you live with my mother. I don't think my mother or anybody else will be happy about what your asking me to do. What about your girlfriend? What about my friends? We just came out of the School and they haven't been in the real world since they were little. I won't leave them on their own."

First of all, I do NOT have a girlfriend. Second of all, nobody's gonna say anything cuz their sort of afraid of your mom AND she feeds them and fills their basic needs, so you won't have to worry about that. Just so you know, Jeb and Bridgid don't live with us and Maya and Dylan live on the guest house, so the only ones that actually live on the house is the Flock, Ella and Dr.

Martinez. I'm sure we'll be able to figure out something. Just stay. Please.

The Flock will buddy up with your friends so everyone will have a room to stay in."

Fang leaned forward and kissed my temple. He walked over to the Flock and they started cheering.

I walked over to my friends and told them what was going. They were reluctant, but they supported my decision.

XxX

I know the Maya/ Jeb relationship is confusing, but be patient and go with the flow. the answer will surely turn up :)

REVIEW!

XOXO,

emeralgreenlove.


	11. Chapter 10 Surprises Surprises Part I

Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much

Chapter Ten: Surprises Surprises Part I

A/N: some of the things in this chapter are inspired by James Patterson himself, so thank him for making this wonderful books ;)

Last on Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much:

Fang leaned forward and kissed my temple. He walked over to the Flock and they started cheering.

I walked over to my friends and told them what was going. They were reluctant, but they supported my decision.

XxX

Fang opened the side door and let everybody in. I don't know why, but he still had Arabella on one arm. I'll admit that I kind of liked it. It was cute.

Mom and Ella poked their heads from the dining room. Mom's face lit up. She came and hugged me. This time I did hug her back, burying my face in her hair.

It had been a long time since I'd been able to do that and I almost didn't let go.

When I did, Mom started hugging the Flock and thanking them for bringing me back.

"Ma is going to freak-" Ella whispered to me.

"Is this her, Max?" Mom asked. Glancing at me and then at Fang's blanket-covered bundle.

"Yeah, Mom. That's her."

"May I-" she started to ask.

"Of course you can."

While everyone else was cooing over Arabella I saw movement outside the window, and at the same time heard something.

I crouched next to the window and peaked. Fang followed suit and did the same thing I did.

He glanced at me and mouthed 'what is it?' then they came into sight.

I looked back at my family and I could see Angel, Nudge and Gazzy were already tense.

I knew what whoever was outside would do. They would attack us.

I got up and started whispering orders

"Mom, Ella, Bri, Ryan and Mike go hide somewhere. Mom do you have somewhere safe that will hold out attackers?"

While my mother's eyes widen, Iggy said, "There's a basement."

"Iggy, please take them there and stat with them-"

"But-"

"Iggy you'll be more help there than here. Now go!"

As they quickly left, something struck the door.

I got the Flock into a circle.

"I hope you've been practicing your fighting skills 'cuz you're really going to need them."

Something hit the door and almost brought it down.

I glanced at my Flock. They knew it was dead-on. We stacked fists and got into our fighting positions.

Right after we got into our position, the door came down and the one who knocked it down, took us all by surprise for a second. He was supposed to be dead and six feet underground, but yet he was alive AGAIN.

The fight flashed by like in the old days. A punch here, a kick there and a bunch of other moves.

Somewhere In the fight, Dylan and Maya arrived and helped take out some of the Tropicaels. Something that I will never forget is how when I got cornered, Michael went cheetah and attacked the guy that was attacking me, therefore distracting him.

I told Angel to tell him to get out, but he couldn't get out before he got hurt.

Finally, the Tropicaels just gave up and left. Ari had already been injured enough and left with a last glance of hatred.

As soon as I was sure that all of the attackers were gone. I informed Angel about it and yelled, "Inventory!"

"I'm okay," Nudge said.

"Me too," Gazzy said.

"Me three," Angel said with a laugh in her voice.

We all turned to Fang.

"I'm alright," he said, but I could hear his lie as loud as it had been shouted. I narrowed my eyes at him, but he didn't say anything.

'Broken rib or two' Angel said.

I stepped forward and raised his black T-shirt.

His olive skin had been bruised in the worst way. It was now starting to turn black and blue.

I touched his ribs and felt around until I felt the spots where his ribs were broken.

"Anything else Fang?" I asked looking into his eyes.

"No, MOM," he said and smiled, amused.

I felt the presence of the others behind me and put Fang's shirt back into place.

"Is anybody else hurt?" I asked.

"Michel," Brianna said.

Michael scowled at Brianna for rattling her out. He rocked Arabella from side to side.

"Michael," I growled out his name.

"What? Calm down, Max. It's only a little scratch."

He shrugged and kept on absentmindedly playing with my four-month-old.

I shook my head. These men seriously needed to start admitting they were hurt before their infections got worst.

"Iggy, did you check his injury?" I asked him.

XxX

This is only part one of Surprises Surprises, so keep tuned to find out more.

Please review. I feel like no one's reviewing this story anymore. Please review. How would you feel if I left this story because of lack of reviews. It feels like nobody cares much about this story anymore and it's really sad.

To Lisalou: I was already going to do some of that stuff, but thanks for your review.

To everyone who reviewed my last chapter: thank you so much. Your reviews are really special to me :)

Review!

XOXO,

emeralgreenlove.


	12. Chapter 11 Surprises Surprises Part II

Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much

Chapter 11: Surprises Surprises Part II

XxX

Note: There's a lot of drama in this chapter and I tried to make it funny, but I'm not all that funny, so it'll probably not be very funny.

I'm sorry if I got something wrong like with the gauze thing and I hope you enjoy how Long this chapter is :) it cost me a lot of time too, so I hope you leave me some nice reviews ;)

XxX

Last on Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much:

Michael scowled at Brianna for rattling her out. He rocked Arabella from side to side.

"Michael," I growled out his name.

"What? Calm down, Max. It's only a little scratch."

He shrugged and kept on absentmindedly playing with my four-month-old.

I shook my head. These men seriously needed to start admitting they were hurt before their infections got worst.

"Iggy, did you check his injury?" I asked him.

XxX

"Yes, I did and you don't have to worry," Iggy replied. "I can't believe Ari came back yet AGAIN. Actually, I can."

"Ari?" Michael asked.

"Ari?" Brianna and Ryan echoed.

Okay, so I hadn't told them my whole story. They didn't need to know ALL the details.

"Mom, do you have a First Aid kit?" I asked her, avoiding my friends.

"Yes, I do, Max. Upstairs bathroom."

"Can you disinfect Mike's bruise while I take care of Fang?" I asked her despite complaints from both boys.

"Max, I can take care of-" Michael started out.

"No, Mike. I know why I'm telling you this. Besides, if your cut gets infected, don't expect Brianna or me to let you anywhere near the girls."

I knew that would get to him. He adores those babies more than anything.

"Fine, but only for Ari and Allysun," he said.

I smirked.

"Ryan, would you-" I started to say.

"Yeah," he said before I even finished and took Ari from Michael.

I heard mutter something like "How dare she use my girl against me?"

Mom took him by the arm and dragged him away.

"Wow, you got that boy whipped," Maya said, with a laugh in her voice.

"I thought I would never see my sister turn on the charm to get a boy to do what she wants," Ella said.

I glared at her while she just laughed her head off. Iggy, who was next to her, pinched her. She let out an "ow!", rubbed her arm and glared a hole into Iggy's head.

Then out of nowhere a little girl's laugh was heard. We all glanced at Angel, who was covering her mouth.

"What's up, Angel?" Nudge asks her.

"Max... Michael... whipped."

After that, she uncovered her mouth, letting out her laughter and doubling over.

I smile appeared on my face just by watching her.

"Angel, do you even KNOW what that MEANS?" I asked her.

She nodded and let out another round of laughter.

"I know now thanks to Ells," she replied.

I shook my head.

"Come on, let's get out of here before Charlie-"

I stopped at the blank looks.

"Arabella?" I told them, but they still had that blank expression on (well, the Flock).

"Ari?" I said.

"Oh," everyone said at different times.

"Like I was saying let's go before she realizes RYAN is the one holding her,"

I said.

"Hey! It's not my fault you and Michael are selfish and that he won't share his little girl with me."

"HIS little girl?" Ella questions.

"Let's go, now I REALLY have to take a wee."

I took Fang's hand and dragged him behind me and up the stairs, even though I had no idea where we were going.

At the top if the stairs Fang said something so un-Fang like I had to turn around.

"I wouldn't mind getting whipped by you either," his husky, masculine voice said.

I looked at him, shocked he would say that. I let his hand go and he held

them (his hands) up in surrender.

We realized the Truth at the same time.

"Gazzy!" we shouted at the same time.

There was a chuckle and Gazzy said, "Sorry, MOM and DAD," then he went right back to laughing.

I rolled my eyes and headed into the bathroom.

Fang was right behind me and closed the door, leaving it only a crack open.

While I searched around for everything I needed, I heard everything that was going on downstairs.

Ari had started crying and Michael had taken her away from Ryan, blaming him for making her cry and it went back and forth as the boys argued.

"Take your shirt off, Fang," I asked him and get my supplies ready.

"I still don't get why you're making a big deal about this, Max. It's not like I haven't had my ribs broken before."

I shook my head, not giving up.

"Fang, if YOU don't take your shirt off, then I'LL have to treat you like a toddler and force it off of your body," I threatened.

He rolled his eyes and took it off.

I pressed the cloth to his bruises and cleansed his wounds. I ended my game of nurse by wrapping gauze over his torso.

"Go put on a new shirt," I commanded.

"You're acting like my mother, Max. Relax. You just got back. Take it easy."

I looked down instead of making a snotty comment.

"I'm sorry. I've missed you guys so much. I guess that I'm like trying to make up for the lost time or something," I said, my eyes still down.

Yeah, you read right. For once I was admitting my emotions. This day has been crazy. Emotions are running up and down and I don't even know what it is that I should be feeling.

A force pulled me close and only after a couple seconds did I realize that it was Fang. I snuggled into his chest and hugged him back. I took in his fragrance and closed my eyes while my best friend held me tight.

He let go of me and I untangled myself from him, turning my back on him as I put my jacket back on, since I had taken it off to make my job easier.

I stared at the toilet top awkwardly. Fang turned me around and took my hair from inside my jacket and laid it on top of it. My eyes were still glued to the ground. I hated how it seems that I'd become suddenly shy.

"Are you okay?" he asked me as he sat on the counter.

I forced my head up from the ground and nodded.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Max."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"These past two years have been very...eventful. Especially today. There has been more drama in my life than in a tv show where people are paid to be dramatic."

Before he opened his mouth I knew what he was going to say.

"I'll tell you all about it. Just not right now and you have to promise me you won't judge me and treat me as well as see me the same way as before this whole thing started."

He nodded and we got out of the bathroom, heading downstairs.

"Are you happy?" he asked me.

I smiled widely.

"Yes. Very. Everything I've wanted to happen in the past two years has come true over the course of the last forty-eight hours. My family is completed.

Everyone has met each other. I always imagined how you all would react When you met Arabella and it finally happened. I'm so glad it did. She's a part of me nobody knew about."

I bounced off the last step and heard "What happened in here?"

XxX

Hey! I live the drama in this chapter, don't you? Next chapter will probably have something to do with what Max told Fang.

Mphknows: thank you for being so nice and loyal :) I wouldn't be able to update without you.

**MPHknows: Yo'welcome :D PS I just accidently replied to someone's review they sent me on my account… then I logged onto my account and fixed it… THIS GETS CONFUSSING! But, yeah… if you get some random reply from someone to a message you didn't send, ignore it…**

I worked really worked hard on this, so...

REVIEW!

XOXO,

emeralgreenlove.


	13. Chapter 12 The End Of a Stressful Day

Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much

Chapter Twelve: The End Of A Stressful Day

This chapter will have some swearing, so be warned.

Last on Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much:

"Are you happy?" he asked me.

I smiled widely.

"Yes. Very. Everything I've wanted to happen in the past two years has come true over the course of the last forty-eight hours. My family is completed.

Everyone has met each other. I always imagined how you all would react when you met Arabella and it finally happened. I'm so glad it did. She's a part of me nobody knew about."

I bounced off the last step and heard "What happened in here?"

XxX

Fang and me ran to the living room, where Jeb had arrived at the scene.

"Max, who is he?"

"He smells like a scientist."

"Are you going to turn us in to them?" Brianna asked sadly.

I turned to Jeb.

"Can you back off and take that stupid lab coat off? You're scaring my friends."

Jeb grinned, which made him look sort of stupid.

"That's no way of speaking to me, Max. Gosh, you're as stubborn as when you were a child," he said, staring me down, as was I.

"How come you knew Max when she was a kid?" Michael asked behind me. There were gurgling sounds coming from where he was, but I didn't dare to turn around.

"I'm her father," Jeb replied.

I laughed cynically. "Please. A father is someone who takes care of his young no matter what. YOU didn't and you certainly don't serve the description of a father. Do you wanna know what just happened here? Do you really wanna know?"

I challenged.

"I believe I do," Jeb said.

"Well, let's just say that your DEAD son led an attack. You know, you have some real courage showing up around here. You've changed sides so many times I don't even know on which side you're on. It's pretty sad Ari led the attack 'cuz I thought my brother and I had FINALLY established a NICE relationship just before he died the last time, but no, you JUST have to keep bringing him back don't ya?"

"Brother?" Ryan choked on the word.

I kept my eyes on Jeb.

"I-I had no idea your brother was alive. I swear, Max, I've left evil behind me. I still do experiments, but they are simple and GOOD. I was the one that made the formula that saved the world."

I looked at my Flock.

"What is he talking about guys?"

Fang stepped forward.

"After I left the Flock, I got a message that said that I had to save the world, and after you got kidnapped, the fight for the safety of the world got worst. My flock, as well as the remaining Originals, united forces and tried to stop the bad guys, but it was too much. We were losing, so we went to Jeb and asked him for help. He created a formula that made the world forget about us. There are only a few of us that know about us mutant freaks. That's what Jeb means. The world still does know about us, but they just think it's all just an entertaining story."

"What?" I said.

"Hold on a second," Fang said and jogged upstairs.

A minute later he came back with some books.

Fang trusted one into my hand. I looked up at him with a questioning look.

"Open it," he said.

Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment.

I read the first page and was amazed that it WAS something that I had formerly written.

"How did you get a hold of this?" I asked.

"One day we were at the library-in disguise of course- and Angel just came up to me and showed us the entire collection of your books, and since I'd seen manga books filled to no point with ridiculous drawings of us, I decided to check 'em out," Fang finished saying.

Wasn't he chatty?

I looked at the book in my hand again.

"Yeah, Fang, you checked 'em out real good," Angel said. " 'Checking out'

means looking them over and that is NOT what you did. You rarely left your room the week you were reading 'em. You just HAD to read every single little word until you practically memorized the seven or so books, didn't ya?"

Angel teasing Fang was amusing I'll admit, but I felt bad for Fang. Having a mind-reader around wasn't always nice.

You're welcome, Max, Angel's voice said in my head.

"Thanks for the info, sweetie, but I think you embarrassed dear ole Fang."

Angel smiled sweetly. Gosh could she get away with anything.

"Guys as much as I find this amusing, I'm kind of tired. Do you guys have guest rooms?"

"We already worked everything out. Fang will show you to your room and we'll show your friends to the rooms they'll be staying in."

"Okay," I said.

I received hugs from everyone in the Flock (except Fang) and we stacked fists like in the old days.

I went to where Michael was to get my baby back. It's funny how I'd been gone two years and I just fell back Into my old leader role. But I'd been made

(literally) to lead hadn't I?

I noticed Jeb was trying to get closer to little Ari.

I quickly walked over to where they were. The Martinez and Flock's living room was quite spacious so you could drift away and still be in the same room as the others.

"What are you doing, Jeb?" I asked.

He was shocked out of his reverie and seemed like he'd been caught off guard.

"I was just looking at the babies. They seems SO small, yet SO fascinating,"

Jeb said, his voice dripping with fascination.

"Stay away from them," I said. "Especially THIS Ari, I don't want my daughter to turn into a monster because of you."

"I'm sorry, Max, I didn't realize it was this serious," Michael said.

I pushed Jeb out of the way and took my sleeping little girl out of Mike's arms. I also took Ryan's backpack when he offered it to me.

You shouldn't be so harsh, a voice inside my head said. It was a voice i hadn't heard in a long time, and it wasn't my own voice either. It was the Voice.

I turned to Jeb and glared at him, covering Arabella's ears.

"You stay the hell out of my head, you hear me?"

I felt everyone's eyes on me as I walked back to the staircase.

Fang took my hand, in a sign that said 'I'll take you where you need to go.'

XxX

Sorry for not updating in a while, but I've been busy.

REVIEW!

XOXO,

emeralgreenlove.


	14. Chapter 13 Max's Story

Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much.

Chapter Thirteen: Max's Story

Last on Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much.:

You shouldn't be so harsh, a voice inside my head said. It was a voice I hadn't heard in a long time, and it wasn't my own voice either. It was the Voice.

I turned to Jeb and glared at him, covering Arabella's ears.

"You stay the hell out of my head, you hear me?"

I felt everyone's eyes on me as I walked back to the staircase.

Fang took my hand, in a sign that said 'I'll take you where you need to go.'

XxX

They were touching and plucking my insides, poking my fragile babies. I squirmed, trying to get out, but my wrists and legs were tied. The Whitecoats weren't fazed by my reaction and kept doing their work. The little grinding noise was very irritable and the pain built up to numbness, then it was too much to handle.

"MICHAEL!" I shouted and sat up.

I touched my forehead and felt moistness on my skin. Sweat.

I calmed down my breathing and wondered why Michael hadn't come comfort me. He always did.

I noticed I wasn't in my cell and my baby wasn't with me. As I realized where I was, I let out a sight and a little sob, which turned into tears.

Why? Why did they have to be so evil? What did I ever do to them? What did my CHILDREN do to them? Surely they didn't deserve to die. I might have stolen and committed crimes because of the circumstances I was in, and maybe being at the School was my punishment, but why THEM? They're just babies. Innocent little children.

I felt a warm hand touch my back. Michael probably.

I turned my head into his chest and cried as he hugged me and brushed my hair.

Once I stopped the flood of tears, I sniffled and smelled in a familiar smell, but it wasn't Michael's. It was Fang's.

I looked up at him almost timidly. He was expressionless and had a faraway look. I got away from him in embarrassment.

I wiped the last of the tears away and looked down at the black blankets. Huh, when I'd crashed in here the night before I hadn't really taken much notice of my surroundings. I glanced outside the window and saw that the sun wasn't even fully up.

"Nightmare?" Fang asked.

I nodded.

"I'm sorry," I said, my voice cracked on top of the fact that it was just a low whisper.

I stared awkwardly at the blankets on top of me. I was suddenly engulfed in a warm hug.

"You don't know how much I missed you, Maxi," Fang whispered, his chin was set on the top of my head.

I hugged him back happily, forgetting about my awkwardness. I chose that exact moment to notice that Fang was shirtless.

"Fang, where's my daughter?" I asked.

Fang pointed at a small crib in the corner of the room. It looked out of place.

I got up and checked on Arabella. When I saw that she was okay and sleeping soundly, I went back to bed.

Fang was lying beneath the blankets with his eyes closed. I cocked my head to the side for a minute, deep in thought.

Fang opened his eyes.

"Get into bed, Max. Its five a.m. Get some sleep. I'm sure you're tired."

I got beneath the blankets reluctantly.

"I'm not sleepy," I said. "Not after THAT dream."

"Wanna tell me about it?" he asked me.

"Nah. It might scare you," I said in an amused voice.

"Try me."

"Well, it was about me at the School, but I don't really think you'll understand where I'm coming from."

Fang gave me one look and pulled me to his side, cuddling me into him.

"Start at the beginning, Max. I've got time, babe."

I couldn't see his face, but I sure as heck hope he couldn't see mine 'cuz it was growing redder and redder by the minute.

"Well, after I got caught, I got the usual lab rat tests, but a little while later, they started trying to get me to have..." I swallowed, "they started trying to breed me. It was very painful. My first pregnancy went horribly wrong. The Whitecoats were always messing with them-"

"Them?" Fang asked, looking down into my eyes.

"Them. My two baby boys. Anyhow, babies are fragile beings and they kept experimenting on them until they did something that went horribly wrong and killed my twin boys. They were six months old. The Whitecoats let me mourn their death properly. They buried them in their own backyard and I got to say good-bye to my babies. I named one of them Nicholas Zephyr and my other baby's name was Ari James."

I took a big breath as I felt tears come to my eyes as I remembered them. The memories were jagged and painful, but they were worth remembering. Fang rubbed my back and kissed my forehead.

"I'm so sorry Max. I should have been there. I feel like I betrayed you by not being there and protecting you and your kids. I always regretted not searching for you any more than what we did."

"Fang, it's not your fault. By you being there things would have probably been much worst. Michael and Ryan tried to help me once, but they almost got killed because of it. I couldn't carry the weight, the guilt, if they got killed because of me, much less you."

Fang started to talk, but I covered his mouth.

"I want to finish what I started. After Nicholas and James died, I quickly became pregnant again with twins. Something else went wrong and Arriel, Arabella's twin sister, died around when she was five months or so. I am SO lucky to have Arabella. When I was at the School, everyday felt like a year because I didn't know if was ever going to see my child again or not, or the next time I saw her, I would see her cold and lifeless. And as a parent, that's the worst thing you could ever go through. Not knowing if your child's going to make it or not."

Fang rubbed my back and I felt my eyelids grow heavy. The next thing I know, darkness is coming my way.

XxX

A/N: Yes! I finally got Max to tell someone her story! I feel like some things are missing though so if you know what it's missing, tell me and I'll clear that right up for you.

**MPHknows: How she met the others, maybe?**

If I get 15-20 reviews in a week I'll update faster and if you have ANY ideas for this story, please tell me about them because to be honest I don't know where I'm going with this story.

REVIEW! (For FAX!)

XOXO,

emeralgreenlove.


	15. The Unknown

**Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much.**

**Chapter Fourteen: The Unknown  
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_"I want to finish what I started. After Nicholas and James died, I quickly became pregnant again with twins. Something else went wrong and Arriel, Arabella's twin sister, died around when she was five months or so. I am SO lucky to have Arabella. When I was at the School, everyday felt like a year because I didn't know if was ever going to see my child again or not, or the next time I saw her, I would see her cold and lifeless. And as a parent, that's the worst thing you could ever go through. Not knowing if your child's going to make it or not."_

_Fang rubbed my back and I felt my eyelids grow heavy. The next thing I know, darkness is coming my way._

**XxX**

**Before we start, let's pretend Fang brought up a bassinet to his room rather than a crib.**

**XxX**

I woke up to an empty bed, then yawned, happy to have slept on a mattress whose springs weren't poking my back. Thank goodness for sleeping in, but it made my guard go up. It was way too quiet—when you live life with a baby, your life is filled with constant sounds, whether it was crying, gurgling or anything in between. I looked beside me and noticed that Fang was gone and his alarm clock read eight forty-nine.

I sat up and got up in a single, fluid motion, making my way over to the bassinet where Arabella had previously been sleeping in. It was empty. My heart started to race. I looked around the room, just to make sure I wasn't going crazy, then threw the door to Fang's room opened and ran down the stairs to check on the Flock.

"Hey, Max," Nudge said with a grin at the bottom of the staircase, as if she's happy to see them.

She was so grown—almost my height with a more feminine shape due to puberty—and it was a little weird in the least.

"Hey, Nudge, have you seen Ari?"

"Ari?" Nudge asked, confused. "I haven't seen him since last night, no."

"No, not my half-brother. My baby, Arabella, I mean. Have you seen her?"

"_Oh_, her, of course. I think I saw her with Fang earlier."

"Do you know where they are?"

"Fang went out to the back."

"Thanks, Nudge," I said and she nodded, going up the stairs.

I jogged to the back of the house, which had been repaired—well, boards were covering up most of the damage, but you didn't see me complaining. When I opened the back door, I was just in time to see Michael and Fang back off of each other. I had seen them at each other's throats, though, no matter how cool and collected they were acting now.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Nothing," Fang replied nonchalantly.

When I decided that he wasn't going to be of use when it came to getting information out of him, I turned my sight upon Michael, who wasn't as used to my searching stare as Fang was.

"I just wanted to help with Charlie," Michael fessed up. "I know her better than he does."

I mentally scowled. This was ridiculous.

"Look," I said, looking pointedly at both of the boys, "when it concerns my daughter, you have to_ ask me _about it first, not duke it out. And I hate to remind you, Michael, but you're not Arabella's father and you have to stop acting like it before you end up hurting her or yourself."

"I could be, you know," he said, "her father."

"I know," I said. "I'm aware, but as far as I know, you're not."

Mike shook his head, then brushed past me to the back door, but not before throwing a glance back at Ari.

Once Michael was out of sight, I turned to Fang and asked him, "Want to tell me what that was about?"

"It was nothing," he said, brushing it off.

"Of course it was something, Fang. You and Michael might as well have been at each other's throats."

Fang looked put off.

"Michael can turn into a cheetah and your name is _Fang—_come _on, _it's not an unlikely scenario."

I paused to catch my breath and outstretched my hand out for my baby daughter.

He handed her back to me, being noticeably careful with her. Arabella whined a little in the exchange, but quickly settled against my breast quietly.

I kissed her forehead and turned to leave, seeing as I had nothing else to talk to Fang about. Fang grabbed my arm gently and said, "Why don't you stay for a little while? We need to talk about what happened last night."

"I think that will have to wait. I have to take care of Ari and check up on my friends."

He nodded and let go of my arm.

"Tell you what," I said, "how about I go check on everyone, then we can meet back here in an hour."

"Alright," he said, and I could just sense the slightest bit of joy coming from him.

**XxX**

An hour later, I had freshened up and made sure that everyone was okay. I was walking back to where I had had my latest talk with Fang. Arabella had gone back to sleep after a quick feeding, but refused to let go of me, which I was just fine with.

I opened the back door and suddenly felt nervous. It was probably a residue of our former romantic relationship, and I couldn't help but start blushing slightly as I thought about what we used to have. And what had had happened the night before? Well, it had been a slip up on my part.

Before I continued to think about it, Fang came into view. He was leaning against the side of the house, and my mind went absolutely blank.

He glanced my way and walked over to me, then started to walk toward the woods. I quietly followed him until we got into a small clearing, where there was a picnic basket hanging from a branch. Fang used little effort to get it off the branch, then turned to me.

"I thought you'd eventually get hungry," he said, then spread out a blanket on top of the grass.

For a second I asked myself who this guy was. Fang wasn't into doing stuff like bring a picnic basket into the woods, but hey, two years had passed and maybe he had gotten used to a normal life.

"You can sit down, you know," he said, and gestured to the blanket.

I sat down, then decided to lay down, and glanced at Fang, who was laying back as well. He looked at me, then at my baby, who was laying between us.

I decided to say something to break the ice, but Fang seemed to have the same idea and beat me to it.

**XxX**

Author's Note:

1. A reviewer (**jlm123hi),** pointed out that Fang calling Max 'babe' in the previous chapter was OOC, and I agree, so let's pretend he said 'Maxi.'

2. Something that was confusing in the last chapter was the fact that Max's babies died inside of the womb rather than outside. Hope that was cleared up.

3. Any idea of what Fang was about to say? (Any ideas for Fax appreciated.)

Hope you enjoyed this (very delayed) chapter. I'm looking forward to hearing from you,

emeral.


	16. Pretty Little Eyes

**Dying Is Easy. Coming Back? Not So Much.**

**Chapter Fifteen: Pretty Little Eyes**

**XxX**

_I sat down, then decided to lay down, and glanced at Fang, who was laying back as well. He looked at me, then at my baby, who was laying between us._

_I decided to say something to break the ice, but Fang seemed to have the same idea and beat me to it._

**XxX**

"I missed you," Fang said.

"I missed you too," I whispered.

"I wanted to talk about…well, you blurted out some of what happened since we lost sight of you and I just wanted to make sure you were okay—_truly_ okay. Are you?"

I nodded after I processed his words.

"What makes you think I'm not?" I asked, taking hold of Ari's hand, which she instinctively wrapped around my index finger.

My answer was kind of stupid—I admit it, but I didn't want him or anyone else thinking that I wasn't the same girl I was back when I was fifteen. I was the same person—the only difference being that I was a mother.

"Well, the last time I saw you, you didn't have a baby and hadn't gone through the multiple pregnancies we talked about, not even thinking about whatever else the School did to you. Max, I'm just concerned about you."

"I'm fine, Fang."

"If you honestly believe that, then okay, but at least think about Ari. She should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible."

"I can't take my daughter to a doctor," I replied defensively, sitting up abruptly. "She has wings just like us."

"You don't have to go to a doctor on the outside," he said, sitting up as well, "I know you may not like it, but if it comes down to it, your mom, Brigid or Jeb could take a look at her."

I scowled at him. "How can you expect me to trust them, Fang? How? They might have saved the world and they might as well have been Batman and Robin, but that doesn't mean I trust them because I don't. I don't trust them one bit."

A dog went off in the distance and Ari's head started to move around, searching for something.

"Groffoff," Arabella said. It took me a minute to realize what she was trying to say, but when I did, I don't think I could have been any prouder. "Unn groff roff."

I picked Ari up and brought her close to my face, and said, "What are you trying to say? Are you trying to sound like the dog?"

Ari stared back at me and turned her head towards the woods once she heard the dog once more. A minute later, Michael came out running from the woods in cheetah form. He slowed down when he saw us, then came close to us and licked Ari's cheek, then turned to me and said, "Can you let your family know I'm coming inside? I don't want them to freak out, and I can't change back since my clothes got shredded. I don't think the girls would appreciate my nakedness much—especially Brianna."

"Alright," I said, and closed my eyes. _Angel, are you there?_

_I'm listening to you, Max._

_You know how my friends are mutants? Well, one of them is a cheetah, and he's in cheetah form, so he'll come inside that way—can you warn the others and open the door for him?_

_Sure, Ma, I'm on it. _

I opened my eyes and told Michael, "Angel already knows—you can go ahead."

"Thanks, Max. By the way, a couple miles from here, there's a weird dog. Maybe he's mutant too because he wasn't afraid of me and kept trying to sniff me. I'll see you later." He licked Ari's cheek again, eliciting a giggle from her, then ran off toward the house.

"Am I seeing right?" Fang asked after Michael was out of sight.

"Yep," I said.

Arabella reached toward Fang, her chubby hand grasping for my best friend. Fang glanced at me, looking for permission, then took her in his arms. He held her above his head and gently threw her in the air, making her laugh. When she came back down, Fang stared at her for a moment, then whispered, "You have pretty eyes, little girl." He turned to me. "Have you ever noticed how her eyes have gold flecks?"

I stiffened, then made myself relax. I nodded and said, "Yes, I have. Can I have my baby back?"

I don't think the trying to relax thing truly worked until Arabella was back in my arms.

Yes, I'd noticed her brown gold-flecked eyes—every time I'd look at them, and most of the time, I'd thought I was going crazy, that I missed Fang too much because that would be the only way the coincidence could ever mean more than it did. He was probably not the only person in the world with gold flecks in his eyes, but the fact that he'd picked up on the similarity narrowed down the search for my baby's father a little—well, if I were to ever truly search for her father.

XxX

**A/N: I'm truly sorry that it took all this time to update. I hope you enjoyed this (I apologize for the shortness of it), and all reviews/suggestions are appreciated. By the way, I'm having a hard time making Fang and Max come together as more than friends. **

**Thanks for reading!**


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